Linden Hills eats like a neighborhood that never needed to prove anything, a strip of Minneapolis storefronts around 43rd and Upton where the burger joint, the pasta bar, and the Thai kitchen all pull regulars on a Tuesday. Nothing here is trying to be downtown.
№ 01
Red Cow 50th & France
$$
3624 W 50th St, Minneapolis, MN 55410 · +16127674411
Photo via 
The Mediterranean bowl, built with fresh mint and dill, has become as much a draw here as the burger that put Red Cow on the map. The 50th and France room in Minneapolis runs casual and fast, suited to a pre-movie dinner or a group of seven on a Thursday night without a reservation holding things up.
What to orderburger, Mediterranean bowl, fries
4312 South Upton Ave, Minneapolis, MN, 55410 · +16129229913
Photo via
Potato churros and empanadas open the meal at this Argentinian and Italian influenced room in Minneapolis, and both hold up as full dishes rather than filler. The asado anchors the larger plates. Reservations move fast even when booked same day, and the room has become a repeat stop for people building a short list of Minneapolis favorites.
What to orderpotato churros, empanadas, asado
5000 Penn Ave S, Minneapolis, MN, 55419 · +16129259202
Photo via
Lemon Risotto is the dish that keeps people coming back to this Fulton neighborhood room in Minneapolis, a bowl of Arborio rice built on simple technique rather than flourish. The patio, easy to miss on a quick visit, is one of the better outdoor seats in the area, and the attached lot helps on nights when street parking runs tight.
What to orderLemon Risotto, pasta, salad
2726 W 43rd St, Minneapolis, MN, 55410 · +16123542806
Photo via
Weekend brunch is the strongest case for Tilia, with a rotating brunch entree and a seasonal vegetable side that read as the kitchen's real interest. The Minneapolis dining room, open long enough that former neighborhood residents return to check on it, still runs an easy, unfussy service pace that suits a relaxed dinner as well as brunch.
What to orderBrunch entree, seasonal vegetable side, house dessert
№ 05
Rosalia Pizza Linden Hills
2811 W 43rd St, Minneapolis, MN 55410 · +16123455494
Photo via
The Za'atar chopped salad, herbaceous and sharply seasoned, stands out on a menu built around pizza in this Minneapolis room. Tall windows and heavy greenery give the open floor plan a light, plant-filled feel, and the layout handles large groups well, tables of nine and up moving through without trouble.
What to orderZa'atar chopped salad, Pizza, Salad
№ 06
Le Burger 4304
$$
4304 Upton Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55410 · +16123289267
Photo via
The burger is straightforward and well built, a solid patty served with fast, efficient counter service in this Minneapolis spot. Street parking runs tight most nights, tighter during Burger Week, when lines stretch out the door. The format suits a casual meal with friends more than a sit-down occasion.
What to orderburger, fries, beer
№ 07
Naviya's Thai Kitchen
$$
2812 W 43rd St, Minneapolis, MN 55410 · +16122765061
Photo via
Chicken satay arrives with a breaded coating that surprises people expecting the usual grilled skewer, and the kitchen cooks close enough to the dining room that the sizzle is part of the experience. Pad thai and Thai fried rice round out the menu at this small Minneapolis storefront, where the space stays simple and the cooking stays fresh.
What to orderchicken satay, pad thai, thai fried rice
№ 08
Coalition Restaurant
$$
3808 W 50th St, Minneapolis, MN 55410 · +19524568979
Photo via
Steak salad and shrimp bruschetta carry over from the Excelsior original to this Minneapolis location, and the made-in-house Key Lime Pie draws its own following. Black bean soup rounds out a menu built for family tables and larger groups, with a Saturday reservation not always guaranteeing an immediate seat.
What to orderSteak Salad, Shrimp Bruschetta, Key Lime Pie
Frequently asked
What is the best restaurant in Linden Hills right now?
Based on the Insider Score, which weighs the full volume and consistency of customer feedback rather than a handful of reviews, Martina and Broders' Pasta Bar rank among the strongest in Linden Hills. No restaurant pays for placement on this list; the ranking reflects the review record alone.
Where can I find good Thai food near me in Linden Hills?
Naviya's Thai Kitchen is the neighborhood's Thai option, known for chicken satay and pad thai cooked to order in a small storefront. Its Insider Score reflects consistent praise for freshness over volume of seating.
Which Linden Hills restaurants are good for large groups?
Rosalia Pizza Linden Hills, Red Cow 50th & France, and Coalition Restaurant all handle groups of seven or more well, according to the review record. Coalition and Rosalia in particular draw repeat mentions of family dinners and larger gatherings.
Is there good outdoor seating in Linden Hills?
Broders' Pasta Bar has a patio that regulars single out even after years of eating inside, and Rosalia Pizza Linden Hills has an open, plant filled dining room with heavy natural light. Both score well on the Insider Score, which is based purely on aggregated customer feedback with no paid placement.
ƒ
The data first, then the verdict
We start with the review record, not a press release. Every room here is a real kitchen with a strong rating across a meaningful number of reviews, ranked on our 10-point Insider Score. We weight consistency over time and the rooms locals return to, not the ones tourists pass through once. The list updates as the data does. How we work →
Marit Solheim
Staff Writer · Top of Minneapolis
Marit Solheim is the Food Editor at Top of Minneapolis. Born and raised in the Longfellow neighborhood of south Minneapolis, she spent six years on the line in downtown kitchens before she started writing. She covers the institutions and the chef tier in both downtowns and holds the desk to one standard: know which city you are standing in.
